Linger Longer Invitational Up Next for Flames

The Flames will start gearing up for postseason play this weekend when they face one of their toughest fields of the year at the 2013 Linger Longer Invitational, co-hosted by Kennesaw State and Mercer.

No. 29/40 Liberty leads the next tier of programs in this year's field, followed by No. 33/31 Oklahoma.

The 14-team field will play 36 continuous holes on Saturday, followed by 18 final holes on Sunday at the Great Waters at Reynolds Plantation. The course will play at 7,073 yards, the longest course Liberty has played this spring, and at a par 72.

In the event's seven-year history, only four different teams have claimed victory: Alabama (2011 and 2012), Georgia (2006, 2007 and 2009), Mississippi (2008) and Oklahoma State (2010).

The field could also include up to 17 golfers currently ranked inside the Golfweek Top 125 rankings, including two-time defending individual event champion Cory Whitsett of Alabama.

The golfer, who is ranked No. 16 in the country, posted a 13-under par 203 in victory in 2011, followed by an eight-under par 208 in 2012, which he eventually won on the fourth hole of a playoff.

This will mark the second year in a row the Flames have competed in the event, but it will be the first time Liberty's current top-ranked golfer has participated in the tournament.

A difficult second round dropped Liberty well down the 2012 leaderboard, as the Flames finished the event in seventh place with a 25-over par 889 (292-306-291).

Alabama (26-under par/278-286-274-838) and Georgia (12-under par/290-279-283-852) were the only two programs to break par during the 54-hole event.

Chase Marinell, who is currently ranked No. 53 in the country, did not travel with the Flames last time the team made the trip to Greensboro, Ga.

Marinell (72-68-72) is coming off his fifth Top 10 finish of the season in eight events, as he shared sixth place with fellow teammate Mathieu Fenasse (70-70-72) at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate, last week, with a two-over par 212.